


Small Decisions

by Meiri



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Christmas Shopping, Family Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:34:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27927598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meiri/pseuds/Meiri
Summary: The Potters are spending Christmas in Perth with the Grangers, and doing some shopping at a local craft market.As always, the Harry Potter universe is not mine, but I love to play with it now and again.Much thanks to my shining star of a beta.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Harry Potter
Comments: 8
Kudos: 13
Collections: Hermione's Holiday Hideaway 2020





	Small Decisions

_ Perth, Australia 2010 _

"Please, mummy?"

Hermione Potter glanced at the amused expression on her husband's face at their daughter's request.

"Are you sure this is the gift you want to get for your grandparents this year, Perdita?" She looked at the musical snowglobe carefully, trying to see what was so appealing to their little girl.

The kangaroo figurine was wearing a Santa hat and dancing to  _ The Christmas Waltz _ with a dolphin. The scenery was of a beach and palm trees, rather than the snowy winter wonderland scenes they were used to from back home. The snowglobe also had  _ Perth 2010 _ inscribed on the base. After the kangaroo winked at her, she gave it up for a lost cause and turned to the young girl for an explanation.

"Because Grandma and Grandpa have kangaroos and dolphins in their Christmas light display," Perdita said, green eyes alight with merriment. "And it plays Grandma's favourite Christmas song!"

Unable to think of anything, Hermione nodded, accepting the reason. Seeing her acquiesce, Harry took the opportunity to slip Perdita the money to pay the craft fair vendor for the snowglobe.

"Someone's been spending too much time with her Uncle Fred and Uncle George," he whispered to Hermione as they watched the lady at the booth wrap the snowglobe in tissue before placing it in a box with a printed bauble design. "We can always get your parents a nice bottle of that elf-made wine that they insisted we should have at our wedding to go with it."

Hermione kissed his cheek. "What a wonderful idea! Did you ever find out how they knew about that wine? I never could get mum to tell me."

"Me neither, but I always figured Sirius had something to do with it." Harry shrugged, keeping an eye on their daughter as she paid for the gift. "They were right, though. That wine was perfect."

"Mummy, can we put this in your special shopping bag?" Perdita held the box up for her to take. 

"Absolutely, Dita." Hermione had enchanted a cotton canvas bag from her favourite yarn shop. It had an Undetectable Extension Charm and a stitched sequence of runes to discreetly shrink and lighten any packages that were placed within. It was far more practical for a family shopping day in either Muggle or magical shopping districts than the beaded handbag she used during the war.

"Who is next on your list, kiddo?" Harry asked as Perdita grabbed their hands and started walking down the row of craft stalls. 

"Miss Brickle," she said. "You said her family would be at our Christmas dinner with Grandpa and Grandma. And she always lets me have a lolly when I visit the surgery."

"That's right," Harry said, "and we should get her parents something nice, too."

Hermione's mind wandered as her husband and child started talking over what gifts would be suitable. The Brickle family had befriended her parents shortly after they, under the names of Monica and Wendel Wilkins, had moved to Australia. After a few weeks spent setting up their new dental practice, her parents had hired Ginger Brickle, their neighbours' teenaged daughter, to help with office work during school holidays, much like they'd done with Hermione while she was home from Hogwarts. 

After the end of the war, when Hermione had finally found the Wilkins, she worked with a specialist in Mind Healing to restore their memories. Afterwards, her parents decided to remain in Perth, instead of relocating again. So she had worked with the Australian Ministry for Magic to go through her parents' contacts and update their practice paperwork with the least disruption possible.

To Hermione's and her parents' surprise, the Brickles weren't on the list of friends or patients who needed a minor memory charm to encourage them to think they'd always been known as Helen and Troy Granger. Unbeknownst to the English couple, their new neighbours were actually a magical family.

"Oh, look at that!" 

Hermione's reminiscing was interrupted as Perdita all but dragged her and Harry to a booth with jewellery and accessories. 

"Which one, sweetheart?" Hermione asked.

Perdita let go of her hand and pointed at a wooden hair comb with bright blue and copper enamel accents. 

"This one. It matches her eyes."

"A lovely choice, young lady," the man tending the stall said. "And this weekend, I am offering gift wrapping for a small donation toward a local pet rescue."

Harry handled payment for the accessory while Hermione gave Dita some money for the donation box on the table.

"So, have you thought of a gift for Miss Geri's parents?" Hermione asked.

The young girl looked up at her, eyes wide. "You weren't listening, mummy?"

"Sorry," she apologised. "I was thinking about something that happened a long time ago. So, what did you and Daddy think of?"

"Well, Mister Brickle likes to barbecue, right?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, he does. They actually have invited us over for one before we go back to England."

"Daddy said that we might see some spices or sauces that aren't in regular shops."

"That's a good idea," Hermione agreed. "And for Missus Brickle?"

"A knitting bag and tea."

Hermione looked around at the vendors at the craft fair. It was coming up to midsummer, so knitting items had been a bit sparse. That being said, she herself used smaller pouches for notions, or small projects like hats. And baskets were nice for larger projects. Those kinds of items were usually available year-round.

"We should be able to find something like that and have time to get ready for dinner."

"And then we are going to the Christmas lights on the boat?"

"Yes, the cruise is tonight, too."

Perdita spent the rest of the afternoon leading her parents from booth to booth talking about the lights they might see that night and how she hoped their Australia family would like the gifts they chose. Hermione enjoyed every moment, locking it in her memory. It was going to be their last Christmas with Perdita as an only child, and she wanted it to be as special as possible. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is my favourite Christmas writing tradition. Thanks to the lovely admins of Hermione's Haven for hosting this lovely annual fest.
> 
> My prompts this year were:  
> Tradition: Attending/participating in a craft fair; buying handmade gifts from a local craft fair...  
> Location: Perth, Australia  
> Pairing: Hermione Granger/Harry Potter


End file.
